International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia

17 May 2018

May 17 is IDAHOBIT – or the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia. IDAHOBIT launched in 2004 to celebrate LGBTIQ people around the world.

The date of May 17 is significant as it was on May 17 in 1990 the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organisation approved the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD10) which no longer listed homosexuality as a diagnosis.

While society has come a long way, there is a still a long way to go.

In Australia:

75% of LGBTIQ youth experience some form of discrimination

61% of LGBTIQ youth experience verbal abuse

19% of LGBTIQ youth experience physical bullying

24.4% of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people experience depression

36.2% of Trans Australians experience depression

As teachers and educators we play an important role in the lives of LGBTIQ youth, and IDAHOBIT is an opportunity to show LGBTIQ students that we stand with them.